There is always a new surprise coming up in my trip. This time I noticed that I can stay legally in Colombia for 60 days, as other foreigners I met. Initially I thought it would be three months as in all South American countries. To stay longer than 60 days, I have to apply for permission in a government office called DAS and pay. Well, it is not a problem but I got irritated that it is not three months and that I have to pay. At least I hope that the process is quick because bureaucracy is the last thing I need in my trip.

Yesterday evening we went to a shopping centre (the only one in Cartago) to meet Fernando's girlfriend Viviana and her family. In the picture from the left: Viviana's sister and her children, Viviana, her parents and next to me Fernando. They are very nice people. Fernando is in love so much that I am sometimes scared that he can't think clearly. It is good to see that it is still possible at the age of 39. In the shopping centre we met Fernando's cousin with her husband and two children. I am amazed - everything here is about family, even more than I have seen in Sicily or other European countries. You are born to have a family. You eat to feed your children in the future. You get a job with a thought of supporting a family. When you have a family, nothing else is important, especially yourself (this was the case with my own mum, fortunately and unfortunately at the same time). I also understood that not all the men are machos here - there are nice men as well. I feel soffocated by this family culture, it is because I like my freedom and independence. Of course I would like to have a family in the future but I still want to be important for myself, I don't want to sacrifice everything for the family. However, I don't have idea how it all works... maybe one day I will find out.